Geography
Also see Map Resources The geography of Glorantha does not follow the same rules to which terrestrial geography adheres. Mountains are not the product of continental uplift or plate subduction. Climate generally follows the cool-in-the-north--hot-in-the-south-rule, but there is much local variation. These differences stem from two main causes. *Glorantha is a flat world. *Glorantha is a magical world. The shape of the entire world is that of a "square", with oceans in the center and land on the edges. Strong currents from the edges of the oceans refill the worlds water, which drains down a hole in the middle of Glorantha. Travel between the continents varies from challenging to impossible as the seasons change. Since the world is flat, there is no natural horizon. The land, however, is rugged and even the plateaus in the middle of Genertela slope upward, blocking views across the plains. Since the populous can tap into the powers of their gods, spirits and the forces of raw essences, weather and climate are not always as expected. Erigia in the far northwest of the Lunar Empire actively fight against the cold that seeps from Valind's Glacier, thus protecting their domain from the same winters you would expect in northern Canada or Russia. The Pelorian river valley has always been the home of the sun worshipping culture of Dara Happa, and is significantly warmer throughout the year than the stormy lands of Dragon Pass, which lies a hundred miles south. Regions Glorantha consists of two main continents, Genertela and Pamaltela. In between the land masses are an expansive ocean and some larger scattered islands. The archipelago of Jrustela (one island before calamity struck at the end of the Second Age), the island of Telos and some lesser locations lay on the fringes of the Homeward Ocean. In the center of the ocean Magasta's Pool is a whirlpool that draws water down in a spiral to the depths of the underworld. Along the eastern edge of the world are the 1000s of islands called the East Isles and the larger island Vithela. Here is a listing of the regions of Glorantha. *Genertela ::* Fronela - the chill Northern lands ::* Seshnela - shattered remains of a great kingdom ::* Ralios - duchies of Safelster butt up against the wildlands ::* Peloria - the Lunar Empire ::* Maniria - freedom loving Orlanthi struggle in Dragon Pass ::* The Wastelands - The wastelands where nomads roam ::* Pent - steppes populated by horse-riding nomads ::* Kralorela - the empire of the dragon ::* Teshnos - lands of Teshnos and other mystic populations *Pamaltela ::*The Errinoru Jungle - Land of the Yellow Elves ::*Fonrit - the Land of Slavery ::*Jolar - the Land of the Arbennan ::*Kothar - the Land of the Kresh ::*The Maslo Coast - Between the Jungle and the Sea ::*Tarien - Land of the Tarint ::*Umathela - the Cold Land ::*Mari Mountains ::*Tarmo Mountains ::*Palarkri Beyond Glorantha The world of Glorantha does not sit in a void. Below the world hides the Underworld, above it arches a sky dome that supports the Sky World. The Red Moon is another realm unto itself and the lands and oceans that touch the edges of the world lead to these and more Otherworlds. There is an image (with notes by Greg Stafford) to help make sense of this. You can find that here: http://www.glorantha.com/new/le_cosmos.html Here is a list of the "physical" otherworlds that exist around the perimeter of Glorantha *Underworld This lies physically below the depths of the earth and the oceans. Magasta's Pool leads here. *Middle Air Above the mundane realms of birds and mountains floats the Middle Air. Climbing the tallest mountain, Kero Fin leads to this realm. *Sky World The sun crosses each day in an arc across the sky dome. Above this border rests the Sky world. It can be reached at the edges of the world. *Red Moon The red moon sits motionless at the border between the sky dome and the Middle Air. It can be reached by moon beams from the crater where it originally rose up into the air. * the Hero Plane can be stepped into at certain specific holy places. The "location" in the Hero Plane generally matches the jumping off point, but can quickly change from there. (The Hero Plane is more the "place" of myths and pre-history, but there are a few overlaps with the mundane world. It is not, however, an actual physical place on its own.) Beyond the mundane and Otherworlds are the overlapping myths of the Hero Plane. This realm touches the myths in the past, before Time was started by the Great Compromise. It reaches to the mystical now and is the home of the gods, saints and great spirits. Parts of it are spiritual, parts are nodes of essence, parts are mystical states and parts are the dwellings where theists visit their gods on high holy day ceremonies. Category:Gloranthan Geography